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TE´NCTERI

Eth. TE´NCTERI or TE´NCHTERI (Eth.Τέγκτεροι, Eth.Τέγκτηρυι, Eth.Τέγκεροι, and Eth.Ταγχρέαι or Eth. Ταγχαρέαι), an important German tribe, which is first mentioned by Caesar (Caes. Gal. 4.1, 4). They appear, together with the Usipetes, originally to have occupied a district in the interior of Germany; but on being driven from their original homes by the Suevi, and having wandered about for a period of three years, they arrived on the banks of the Lower Rhine, and compelled the Menapii who inhabited both sides of the river to retreat to the western bank. Some time after this, the Germans even crossed the Rhine, established themselves on the western bank, in the country of the Menapii, and spread in all directions as far as the districts of the Eburones and Condrusi, who seem to have invited their assistance against the Romans.
This happened in B.C. 56. The Germans demanded to be allowed to settle in Gaul; but Caesar, declaring that there was no room for them, promised. to procure habitations for them in the country of the Ubii, who happened to have sent ambassadors to him at that time. The Germans asked for three days to consider the matter, requesting Caesar not to advance farther into their country.
But, suspecting some treacherous design, he proceeded on. his march, and an engagement ensued, in which the Romans were defeated and sustained serious losses. On the following day the chiefs of the. Germans appeared before Caesar, declaring that their people had attacked the Romans without their orders, and again begged Caesar to stop his march. Caesar, however, not only kept the chiefs as his prisoners, but immediately ordered an attack to be made on their camp.
The people, who during the absence, of their chiefs had abandoned themselves to the feeling of security, were thrown into the greatest confusion by the unsuspected attack.
The men, however, fought on and among their waggons, while the women and children took to flight. The Roman cavalry pursued the fugitives; and when the Germans heard the screams of their wives and children, and saw them cut to pieces, they threw away their arms and fled towards the Rhine; but as the river stopped their flight, a great number of them perished by the sword of the Romans, and others were drowned in the Rhine.
Those who escaped across the river were hospitably received by the Sigambri, who assigned to the Tencteri the district between. the Ruhr and the Sieg. (Caes. Gal. 4.4-16; Livy, Epit. lib. cxxxviii.; Tac. Germ. 32, 33, Ann. 13.56, Hist. 4.21, 64, 77;, Plut. Caes. 21; D. C. 39.47, 54.20, 21; Flor. 3.10, 4.12; Oros. 4.20; Appian, de Reb. Gall. 4, 18; Ptol. 2.11.8.) The Tencteri were, particularly celebrated for their excellent cavalry; and in their new country, on the eastern bank of the Rhine, they possessed the town of Budaris (either Monheim or Düsseldorf), and the fort of Divítia (Deutz).
In the reign of Augustus, the Tencteri joined the confederacy of the Cherusci (Liv. l.c.), and afterwards repeatedly appear joining other tribes in their wars against Rome, until in the end they appear as a part of the great confederacy of the Franks. (Greg. Tur. 2.9; comp. Wilhelm, Germatnien, p. 141; Reichard, Germanien, p. 31; Latham, Tacit. Germ. p. 110.)